1071H
Fig. 15.31 Lip lesion held by suture. (By kind permission of Dental Update.)
1072H
Fig. 15.32 (a) and (b) Lump related to erupting |7. and view 1 week later⎯the lump
has disappeared and the |7 has erupted⎯no treatment was given. (By kind
permission of Dental Update.)
15.7.6 Excision biopsy of attached gingiva/palate
These procedures leave a defect that is not readily treated by primary closure.
Following the biopsy it is useful to lay a haemostatic material over the defect to arrest
bleeding and then to cover the area either by a periodontal dressing or by securing a
Whitehead's varnish, ribbon-gauze pack in the defect with non-resorbable sutures.
15.7.7 Suturing
Resorbable sutures should be used to close soft tissue wounds in children whenever
possible; however, in mobile structures such as the tongue and lip these may be lost
shortly after surgery as their knots may be less secure than those obtained with black
silk. To overcome this problem it is useful to bury knots by taking the first bite of
tissue from within the wound rather than from the mucosal surface. The second bite